Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department first knew about the 7 day delay to changes in the IPAFFS IT system, following the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Germany.

We do not recognise the assertation that there was a delay in controls being implemented. The department acted quickly to stop consignments that presented a risk.

Following the confirmation of outbreak, we immediately instructed Port Health Authorities (PHAs) across Great Britain to suspend susceptible FMD imports that posed a risk to UK biosecurity. Additionally, we immediately informed border authorities, including Dover Port Health Authority and businesses, with the first communications issued at 17:42 and 21:00 on 10 January, and implemented measures to suspend commercial and personal imports of commodities from susceptible animals.